A federal grand jury this morning indicted former Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.) on six counts of violating campaign finance laws during his 2008 presidential campaign — a new low point in what’s been his precipitous fall from political prominence.

Even Edwards’ most strident supporters have largely fled him, aghast at his fathering a child with former campaign aide Rielle Hunter while his now-deceased wife, Elizabeth, battled cancer. The six indictment counts, which include four counts of illegal campaign contributions, one count of false statements and another for conspiracy, center on Edwards’ role in funneling money from campaign donors to Hunter in a bid to keep quiet his extramarital affair — and keep his lofty political ambitions afloat.

Edwards fueled those ambitions by raising $57 million from a strong donor base during his 2008 presidential bid, which he abandoned in January 2008 after it became clear that either Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) or Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) would become the Democratic Party’s ultimate nominee. As a trial lawyer himself, much of Edwards’ financial support came from lawyers and law firms, the Center for Responsive Politics‘ research indicates — ironic, perhaps, in that Edwards legal team chose this week to turn down a plea deal and instead face trial.

Among industries and special interest areas, donations to Edwards’ 2008 presidential campaign from lawyers and law firms easily exceeded those of any other, amounting to more than $7.58 million, the Center’s research shows.

Among Edwards’ top 2008 presidential campaign supporters were the people and political action committees associated with Stearns Weaver et. al. ($97,100), the Watts Law Firm ($65,400), Morgan & Morgan ($53,700), Skadden Arps et. al ($53,400) and Whitten Nelson et. al ($51,420). The late Fred Baron, a Dallas trial lawyer who acknowledged making payments to Hunter but denied Edwards knew about it, served as Edwards’ fund-raising mastermind during both his 2004 and 2008 presidential campaigns.

People and PACS associated with investment bank Goldman Sachs, Deutsche Bank, Citigroup and Time Warner also together ranked among Edwards’ top 2008 presidential campaign backers, the Center’s analysis indicates.

Men accounted for more than 65 percent of the reportable donations Edwards received toward his 2008 presidential campaign. But as OpenSecrets Blogpreviously reported, Edwards was also once the darling of the women’s issues lobby, which contributed $352,000 to him during the 2008 election cycle.

This ranked Edwards among the top five recipients of federal political contributions from the women’s issues lobby during that time frame, the Center found. Only presidential candidates Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton — who kept running long after Edwards dropped out — as well as U.S. Senate candidates Jeanne Shaheen and Kay Hagan, eclipsed Edwards’ total.

Edwards’ lawyers deny that their client broke federal laws. If convicted, Edwards could face up to 30 years in prison, as well as hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines.

Media Contact

Viveca Novak
(202) 354-0111
press@crp.org

Search

Archives

Categories

Count Cash & Make Change.

OpenSecrets.org is your nonpartisan guide to money's influence on U.S. elections and
public policy. Whether you're a voter, journalist, activist, student or interested citizen,
use our free site to shine light on your government.